Seating furniture back support



NW. 5, 1935. D, ANAUER 2,02%,028

SEATING FURNITURE BACK SUPPORT Filed June 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l1935. D. HANAUER' 2,2,02

SEATING FURNITURE BACK SUPPORT Filed June 27, 1955 2 Sheets-SheeQ 2Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,020,028 SEATINGFURNITURE BACK SUPPORT Darwin Hanauer; La Grange, Ill., assignor toNachman Spring-Filled Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois 1 Application June 27, 1935, Serial No. 28,649

13 Claims. (Cl. 155--50) The main object of the present invention is toprovide a back support for a seating furniture unit, such as a chair orthe like, which will fit itself yieldingly to the contour of the back ofthe person occupying the seat of the unit, so as to render said backextremely comfortable and afford ample, yielding support to the entireback of the occupant, thus preventing the latter from becoming tired forlack of support during a period of hours of occupancy as in playingcards or other games.

A further object of the invention is to provide a back structure for aseating furniture unit which is simple, cheap and durable whilepresenting all of the desirable'advantages aforesaid'without resort toexpensive upholstery.

The invention is applicable to practically all types of seatingfurniture units made in whole or in part of materials ordinarilyemployed in their manufacture, except as hereinafter specifically setforth.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, the backstructure is illustrated as applied-to and made a part of chairs, theframes of which are made of metal, and in said drawings,

Fig. Us a perspective view of a chair equipped with a back structuremade in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the side and top. rails ofthe back structure per se indicating the manner in which said elementsare flexed under the influence of load or pressure.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the upper extremities ofthe said rail and all of the top rail of the back structure as enclosedin a cushion web of a diflerent shape from that shown in Fig. 1 andillustrating how the top rail will conform itself to the shape of theupper edge portion of the said web..

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the top rail of the v back structure as itis shaped normally.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the said top rail as flexedunder theinfluence of pressure exerted against the same by an occupant of thechair.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan section on an enlarged scale taken on theline 6 -6 of Fig. 2 showing how the top rail is secured along an endportion thereof to the end portion of a side rail.

Fig. 7 is a plan section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 'ii ofFig. l.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a modifiedform of' construction.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the back frame of a chair shown inmodified form of construca pair of flexible, but non-elastic side rails(I) at the back or rear portion of the frame of the seating unit, whichextend upwardly to a desired iii height and which are free to flex fromthe point of their attachment,- as at (2), with the base frame of theseating unit to their upper extremities. The length of said side railswill be dependent upon the desired height of the back struc- 20 ture.Said side rails (I) may be constructed of a heavy wire, tubing or otherflexible metal and the same may be arranged to diverge slightly fromeach other toward their upper ends or may be otherwise disposedrelatively to each other as25 may be best adapted to the design of theparticular seating furniture unit to which the invention is applied.

A helical spring (3) composed of a wire of stifliciently heavy gauge andclose winding to-best serve the purposes for which it is intended, isengaged'telescopically at its opposite end portions, with the respectiveside rails I) along their upper end portions so that said spring (3)will form an. arch spanning the space between the side rails (I) andextending upwardly therefrom to any desired elevation.

The said end portions of said spring (3) which receive the upper endportions of the side rails (2) are secured in place by means of crosspins 40 (4) as particularly illustrated in Fig. 6 or in any othersuitable manner.

Secured along its side and upper edge portions to said side rails (l)and spring (3) is a web (5) of a suitable non-elastic material such asleather or textile fabric. Preferably said web constitutes the frontwall of a flat inverted bag structure which includes a rear wall (6)coinciding in shape and size with said web (5) and which is stitchedthereto along its side and top edges.

Preferably, the bag structure (56) will be of slightly less width thanthe space between the side rails (I) and will present an upper archededge or closed end portion conforming in contour 05 with the arch formedby the spring (3) as illustrated in Fig. 1 but the same may be shapedvariously, as, for example, is illustrated in Fig. 3, so that said bagstructure will be maintained distended by said side rails (I) and spring(3) and will cause the spring (3) to conform itself to the contour ofthe upper or arched edge portion of said bag structure (56). The latterwill be held in place on the side rails (I) and spring (3) by frictionbut may be secured in place in any suitable manner.

In order that the convolutions of the spring (3) may not be felt by theoccupant of the chair, the same may be enclosed in a rubber hose (1) asshown in Figs. 11 and 12 or may be suitably wrapped to provide anequivalent of the hose (1). Or, as shown in Fig. 7, suitable fibrouspadding material (8) may be disposed between the spring (3) and theopposed portions of the bag structure (5-6).

As shown in Fig. 8, the front wall of the bag structure (56) mayconstitute also the rear wall of a cushion element which includes thefront wall (9) and alayer (I) of padding material disposed between thewalls and (9) said front wall (9) coinciding substantially in shape andsize with the wall (5) and being suitably secured thereto along itsperipheral edges.

Obviously, the walls (5 and 6) may constitute the wall of any desiredtype of upholstery unit that it may be desired to employ in connectionwith the structure.

In Fig. 9, there is illustrated a back-frame structure which includesthe side rails (I), spring (3) and additional helical springs whichinclude three springs (I I) each secured at one end to the spring (3) atspaced apart points and which are secured at their other ends to across-rail (I2) of the base frame of the chair at spaced apart points,the securing means being hooks (I3) at the ends of said springs (II) andspot-welds securing the lower end hooks (I3) to the rail (I2).

The said springs (I I) may be arranged to impart to the arch of thespring (3) any desired contour and, to this end, the number and relativespacing apart and arrangement of the springs (I I) may be changed andvaried.

Cross-springs (I4), preferably interlaced with the springs (I I) andsuitably secured at their ends to the side rails (I) may be included inthe back structure, all of said springs (3), (I I) and (I4) constitutingelastic frame members which are both flexible and eiongatable but whoseflexion, elongation, and contraction are limited by the web (5) or bagstructure (5Ii).

The preferred construction is illustrated in Fig. 1 to 8 inclusivewhichhas been found to be extremel efficient and presents the advantagesof being simplest, lightest and cheapest.

Obviously, if the spring (3) is enclosed in a rubber hose or isotherwise reinforced, its flexibilitywill be decreased appreciably andthis may be desirable in instances wherein the back is of a heightsuflicient to include a head-rest and, more particularly, if the back ofhead-rest height is tiltable to afford a reclining member.

While the back support is illustrated herein as applied to a metal framechair, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same maybe applied to chairs of all types and to other seating furniture unitswithout departing from the invention. I

Obviously, the spring (3) lends itself readily to flexion to conformitself to the particular contour of the upper edge portion of the bagstructure (5-6) and is exemplified in Fig. 3 and, in the event that anyother type of web structure is employed, the same may be shaped asdesired and so engaged with the spring (3) as to distort or shape thesame to the contour desired. 5

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the structure ofthis invention consists essentially of a pair of spaced apart flexiblebut non-elastic bars, a non-elastic but flexible web structure engagedwith and maintained taut 10 by said bars, and one or more flexible andelastic members cooperating with said bars and said web structure toprovide a well-shaped and yielding back which conforms itself easily tothe back of the occupant of the seating unit over the 16 entire area ofcontact between the web structure and the said occupant.

Responsively to pressure exerted against the web structure, the siderails (I) will be caused to move toward each other along their upper end20 portions and also to flex rearwardly.

I claim as my invention:

1. A seating furniture unit such as a chair, comprising a base frame, aseat surface thereon, and a back supporting structure comprising a pairof substantially upright flexible side rails rigidly secured at theirlower ends to the base frame at the rear of the latter in spacedrelation to each other and projecting above the seat surface thereof, aflexible substantially inelastic web secured along its side edges to thesaid side rails from the upper extremities to the lower end portions ofthe latter and normally presenting a substantially taut surface to theback of an occupant of the chair, said side rails being increasingly vyielding from their lower to their upper ends, and

a cross member of greater flexibility than said side rails secured atits ends to the upper ends of the latter and engaged with the upper edgeof said Web and permitting substantially unresisted flexing of said siderails while yieldingly resisting flexing of the upper edge portion ofthe said web.

2. A seating furniture unit such as a chair, comprising a base frame, aseat surface thereon, and a back supporting structure comprising a pairof substantially upright flexible inelastic side rails rigidly securedat their lower ends to the base frame at the rear of the latter atapproximately the respective rear corners of and projecting above theseat surface of said base frame, a flexible substantially inelastic websecured along its side edges to the said side rails from the upperextremities to the lower end portions of the latter and normallypresenting a substantially taut surface to the back of an occupant ofthe chair, said side rails being increasingly yielding from their lowerto their upper ends, and a cross member of greater flexibility than saidside rails secured at its ends to the upper ends of the latter andprojecting between its ends above the level of the upper ends of saidside rails, said member being engaged with the upper edge of said web tosupport the same and permitting substantially unresisted flexing of saidside rails while yieldingly resisting flexing of the upper edge portionof the said web.

3. A chair comprising a base frame, a seat surface supported thereby, apair of flexible substantially upright members secured to" said baseframe at the rear thereof in spaced relation to each other and below thelevel of said seat surface, said members being divergent from each othertoward their upper ends above the level of said seat surface, and aflexible, substantially inelastic web of less width than said side railsencompassing the latter along their side edges and maintained laterallydistended thereby while maintaining said members flexed toward eachother and divergent toward their upper ends, said web including aportion overlying the upper extremities of said members and cooperatingwith the normally divergent relation of the latter to maintain said webin postion on said member.

4. A chair back structure including a pair of flexible side railsrigidly associated at their lower ends with 'the rear end portion of thechair frame and maintained spaced apart by the latter,a self-restoringcross rail member of greater flexibility than said side'rails secured atits ends to the upper end portions of the latter and bridging the same,and a flexible web secured to the side rails along its side edges and tosaid crossra l member along its top edge, said web being maintainednormally distended by said side rails to the upper end portions of thelatter and bridg ing the same, and a flexible web secured to the siderails along its side edges and to said crossrail member along its topedge, said web being maintained normally distended by said side rails,said. cross-rail memberpresenting substantially arcuate end portons andconforming itself yieldingly to the contour of the upper edge of saidweb and providing a yielding distending and supporting means for all ofthe portion of said web disposed above the level of the upperextremities of said side rails in all relative positions of the latterresulting from pressures exerted on said web.

6. A seating furniture innit such as a chair, comprising a base frame, aseat surface thereon, and a back supporting structure comprising a pairof substantally upright flexible side rails rigidly secured at theirlower ends to the base frame rearwardly of the seat surface of the lat--ter and in spaced relation to each other, said rails projecting abovethe seat surface, a flexible substantially inelastic'web secured along"ts side edges to the said side rails from the upper extremities to thelower end portions of the latter and maintained taut laterally" thereby,said side rails being increasingly yielding from their lower to theirupper ends, and an elastic flexible cross member of greater flexibilitythan said side rails secured at its ends to the upper ends of the latterand engaged with the upper edge of said weband permitting substantiallyunresisted flexing of said side rails while yieldingly resisting flexingof the upper edge portion of the said web, said cross member conformingitself to the contour of the upper edge of said web and supporting thesame. i

7. A seating furniture unit such as a chair, comprising a base frame, aseat surface thereon, a pair of substantially upright flexible railsrigidly secured attheir lower ends to the base frame at the rear of thelatter in spaced relation to each other and projecting above the seatsurface thereof, said side rails being increasingly yielding ends abovethe level of the upper extremities of said side rails, and permittingflexing of said side rails in all directions, and means engaged withsaid side rails and said member and occupying free space bordered bysaid rails and said 5 member for cooperation therewith to provide ayielding back support for an occupant of said seat surface.

8. A seating furniture frame including a pair of flexible spaced apartand substantially upright members rigidly secured at their lower ends tothe base frame at the rear of the latter and projecting above the seatportion of the same, and a helical spring having its end portionstelescopically engaged with and secured to the upper end portions ofsaid uprights and presenting an arch-formation projecting above andspanning the space between said members. i

9. A seating furniture frame equipped at the rear thereof with a pair ofspaced apart uprights rigidly secured thereto. at their lower ends andprojecting above the seat portion of the same, and a plurality ofhelical springs secured at their ends to and spanning the space betweensaid uprights, one of said springs being. telescopically engaged at itsends with the upper end portion of said uprights and presenting anarchformation above the latter. a

10. A seating furniture frame equipped at the rear thereof with a pairof spaced apart flexible uprights rigidly secured thereto at their lowerends and projecting above the seat portion of the same, and a pluralityof helical springs secured at their ends to and spanning the spacebetween, said uprights, one of said springs being telescopically engagedat its ends with the upper end portions of said uprights and presentingan archformation above the latter, one of the first named springs beingengaged at its ends with the portion of the last-named spring which istelescopically 40 engaged with the said uprights, and at least onehelical spring engaged at one end with the said arched helical springbetween the ends of the latter and engaged at its other end with thesaid seat frame.

11. A seating furniture unit such as a chair, comprising a base frame, aseat surface thereon, and a back supporting structure comprising a pairof substantially upright flexible side rails rigidly secured at theirlower ends to the base frame at the rear of the latter in spacedrelation to each other and projecting above the seat surface thereof, a\flexible substantially inelastic web secured along its side edges tothe said side rails from the upper extremities to the lower end portionsof the latter and including a portion disposed above the level of theupper extremities of the side rails, and mainly normally presenting asubstantially taut surface to the back of an occupant of the chair, saidside rails being increasingly yielding from their lower to their upperends, and an arched helical spring secured at its opposite end portionsto the upper end portions of the said side rails and having its middleportion disposed above the level of the upper extremities of 5 the siderails and engaged with the upper edge portion of said web for supportthereof, said spring being adapted to conform itself to the contour ofthe upper edge of said web.

12. A seating furniture unit comprising a baseframe equipped with a seatsurface, a pair of substantially-upright flexible members rigidly secured at their lower ends to the rear end of the base frame andprojecting above the level of the said seat surface in spaced relationto each other,

' free upper ends capable of flexing in all directions than the spacebetween said members secured along its side edges to the latter andmaintaining them normally flexed toward each other, whereby said web ismaintained normally dis tended, said web being disposed over the saidelastic means on the side thereof opposed to said seat surface and beingsupported in part by the latter when flexed by pressure of the back ofan occupant of said seat surface exerted against said web.

13. A chair comprising a base-frame, a seat surface supported thereby, apar of substantially upright independently flexible members having andrigidly secured at their lower ends to the rear end portion of the baseframe in' spaced relation to each other and projecting above the seatsurface; the points of junction of said members with said base framebeing appreciably below the level of said seat surface, and a flexiblesubstantially inelastic web secured along its side edges to said membersand maintained taut thereby, said web presenting a lower edge portiondisposed proximately to the level of said seat surface and suflicientlyabove and spaced from said points of junction of said members with saidbase frame to be disposed at an appreciably yielding portion of saidmembers and in position to bear against the small of the back' of anoccupant of the seat surface, the remainder of said web being disposedto yieldably support higher portions of the back of the said occupant,said members being adapted to flex throughout their lengths responsivelyto pressures exerted against the said web.

DARWIN HANAUER.

